- Pain: 0/10
- Inconvenience: 2/10
Only 2 days left until my 90-day trip is complete!
So today marks my mugshot roundup. I imagine my facial change would be somewhat chartable had I positioned myself the same way for each photo, but since I’m all over the map when it comes to these pictures, the change is slightly more difficult to follow. Perhaps I should be calling this “88 Days of Clown School” instead. It seems more fitting.
I finally ate cereal for breakfast. It’s the first non-smoothie breakfast I’ve had in 88 days! Apple Cinnamon Cheerios were the chosen flavor. Thank you, General Mills, for reminding me that breakfast does not have to be consumed in liquid form.
My friend hosted a party tonight, and of the 20 people there, 4 of us had undergone jaw surgery. That’s 20% of the crowd! I’m beginning to wonder if orthognathic surgery is the latest craze.
Anyway, onto the mugshots!
July 30, 2016 at 5:30 pm
I’m 17 years old and 23 days away from my own double jaw surgery. I’ve been super nervous, but your blog has definitely helped me feel better about it. Also, I laughed really hard at these pictures. No hard feelings?
July 31, 2016 at 4:44 pm
Brenna, no hard feelings at all! I’m glad my photos can make you smile. Best of luck with your surgery in a few weeks — we’re here for you! 😊
October 14, 2013 at 4:04 am
looks like a positive result…any new pix?
October 15, 2013 at 10:13 am
Sally, my appearance has not changed much since my final update on this blog. You can see those photos here.
September 27, 2013 at 11:28 pm
Hi Graham,
Thanks for the informative and entertaining diary of your journey. I also had Orthognatic surgery here at Stanford last September 3. So far so good! Can’t wait to be off the elastic bands on my teeth. Ciao!
September 28, 2013 at 11:19 am
JaGo, you’re already well into your recovery then! Enjoy smiling forevermore in about… 2 months!
September 12, 2013 at 6:07 pm
I can’t thank you enough for writing this blog. I am having bottom jaw surgery in about 6 weeks and am very nervous about it. Reading through this and looking at your pictures has really helped me. I am a lot older than you are (48!) but hopefully I will also recover quickly. My open bite is the result of an accident, so I totally understand what you said about how wonderful it is to be able to bite into food with ripping it apart – I can’t wait to be able to eat normally again.
September 13, 2013 at 9:37 am
Laura, I’ve met heaps of people older than you who took on this surgery and came out perfectly fine on the other side. Looking forward to hearing about your results!
August 28, 2013 at 5:01 am
going in for consult with surgeon
on 9/12/13…….any tips?
August 28, 2013 at 9:07 am
Sally, you can find the tips I think are the most useful at my Recovery Tips page. =)
August 12, 2013 at 1:57 am
i am about to have surgery..just have to find the right doctor…BTW..nice blog all. i find that the pain is sooo bad…i am 28,live with parents because of myjaw disorder. talk to me
Sally
August 19, 2013 at 8:37 am
Sally, living with your parents will be nice during recovery because you’ll have good company for walks and smoothies. Good luck with your search for a surgeon!
July 22, 2013 at 10:46 pm
I like the fact that starting at day 54, you’ve been smiling freely and handsomely. Since day 1, my progression matched yours pretty closely. I’m on day 34 now, but I look forward to my own day 54 too! Thank you so much for making this blog!
July 23, 2013 at 8:11 am
Fu, if our recoveries are mirroring each other, than you’ll be a very happy person within the next 3 weeks. Stay strong and enjoy the experience!
April 2, 2013 at 4:21 am
Wow! Awesome changes! And as someone up there ^ said.. The props made me laugh 🙂
December 24, 2012 at 10:35 am
Hey Graham, I noticed today was really sapped for energy. I think the most frustrating part of it all is not being able to speak clearly. Mostly people just smile and nod when I talk to them, lol. My surgeon doesn’t require me to have my mouth wired shut so I suppose that is a plus and maybe that will mean once the swelling goes down my series of mumbles and grunts will be a bit more decipherable. I am keeping positive and I know the worst week will be over soon. Thanks for the reply and Merry Christmas to you as well!
December 23, 2012 at 8:05 pm
I have to admit that i have not yet figured out the sleeping but for me the lazy boy chair is the best i position for me! The angle seems to help with the breathing. I also used a humidifier at night. I find it better for the congestion.
As for eating I’ve been getting pretty creative, I use milk (chocolate or regular) with protein powder (vanilla or chocolate) mix with pudding and/or peanut butter in the magic bullet. It’s delicious and filling. If you don’t have protein powder simply start with an ensure drink!!
Weapons designer… 7 years old dream…scary! lol
December 23, 2012 at 7:12 pm
Hey Steph,
Thanks for the reply. It has been taxing these first few days and I am attempting to keep a positive outlook on things while I am powering through this tough first week. I have been going outside and walking around the house a lot, I haven’t had much to eat so I’m not sure where I’m getting the energy but I can’t seem to stay put as I am a very active person. Also, I wish I could sleep more comfortably, do you have any advice for a specific position to sleep in or anything? The swelling and congestion prevent me from really achieving maximum comfort level as of right now :/. If it is okay I would like to keep in touch and compare progress with you. My email is weapons_infantry@hotmail.com, pardon the address I created the email when I was seven and full of ambition to become a weapons designer lol.
December 23, 2012 at 6:32 pm
as for swelling and numbness everyone is different i’m still swollen at 40% of my max (estimate)
December 23, 2012 at 6:29 pm
Hey Coby,
I find myself on day 14 and i thought i was find to go at a friends house and quickly realised that I don’t have a lot of energy. But on xmas day i will be spending the day at my parents but most likely sitting down and not staying late. So your energy level will dictate everything…but even if you feel find at the house…a simple 10 min walk got me tired in the early days.
I must tell you that you are at worst time right now so it only gets better. So for entertainment I had pvr’ed a bunch of TV shoes. I also became good friends with my Xbox but that was more around day 5-6. At day 3 you are obviously in better shape than I was cause all i wanted to do was sleep…even if i couldn’t go for more than an hour or 2 i wasn’t even looking at any websites. I also reconnected with my guitar that I hadn’t played for a while. The world juniors are starting soon if your hockey fan.
hang in there!!!
ps: if you need any help or just want to chat you can email me at “stephwrx” at “gmail” (.com)
later
December 23, 2012 at 3:15 pm
I am on day three now and I already have the proverbial “cabin fever” setting in. I find your blog very amusing and uplifting. I am hoping the swelling and numbness will start to subside soon. Any advice on curbing the monotony of being stuck at the house? Also how long before you could go out with some friends for a little while?
December 24, 2012 at 5:14 am
Coby, I started hanging out with friends again around the fourth week. I couldn’t really speak clearly until then, so meeting up with people wasn’t really an option. To stay happy, try finding some catch television series to watch. I also found that taking my dog for several walks each day helped immensely because it got me out of the house (very important). For the most part, though, you’ll be lacking in energy, so things like television and movies will be your best friend for the first few weeks. Good luck and Merry Christmas!
July 27, 2012 at 9:28 am
I’m at day 88 and I look weird. Not because its new to me. I hate it when my mom or doctors say that. I have honest friends and they tell me I look weird because some of my swelling goes completely down in some areas on my face. Like on the left side of my face I’m all dent. It’s looks if someone was to put a dent in someones car. Did that happen to you?
August 1, 2012 at 4:09 pm
Stephanie, I don’t recall having a “dent” in my face at any point, but my swelling definitely receded in an uneven fashion, leaving me with a lopsided appearance. It’s frustrating, yes, but the swelling will go away and your face will return to its normal state. It may take another month or so, but you shouldn’t have to deal with it any longer after that.
February 28, 2012 at 8:14 am
I’m sure Halloween candy blends quite well. =)